


The Goose Boy

by ViridianJane



Category: All For the Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Alternate Universe- Fairy tale, Alternate Universe- The Goose Girl, Gen, M/M, This Is Incredibly Self Indulgent, animal speak, based more on shannon hale's adaptation tho, nature speak, neil is the goose girl, oh and riko is still an asshole, people speak
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-29
Updated: 2016-12-19
Packaged: 2018-07-19 01:34:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7339207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ViridianJane/pseuds/ViridianJane
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Crown Prince Nathaniel Wesninski is being sent to Palmetto as the fiancé of their First Prince. </p><p>This is a retelling of the Grimm Brothers' fairy tale, The Goose Girl. However it is based more off of Shannon Hale's adaptation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

 

                He found her in the reading room, flames licking the walls, a knife in her side and her body already stiff, laying in a pool of blood. Her eyes were still open and staring at the doorway, as if even in death she knew that her son would find her. Neil felt his throat close and the contents of his stomach threaten to empty themselves onto the carpet. He turns on his heels and ran, knowing how, _knowing_ _why this happened,_ but not wanting to acknowledge such a cruel end, not yet, not ever –

 

_What will happen to me now?_

 

                Queen Mary was dead, and her only son, Crown Prince Nathaniel Abram Wesninski, is terrified.

 

_I’m next, I’m next, I’m next._

 

* * *

                                                                                                                                                                                    

 

                The days following the death of the Queen, the Kingdom of Wesninskia was a sea of black: black funeral shrouds with the Wesninski and Hatford seals adorned the main hall of the palace and all members of the court were required to wear black for the 3 month mourning period. Neil was numb and detached, and he tried to avoid his father as much as was deemed respectable. Jean, his manservant, never left his side.

 

                The day of the funeral found Neil standing next to his father, King Nathan, with Jean at his back, at the head of Queen Mary’s grave.  Behind them, Captain Tetsuji Moriyama and his nephew, Riko Moriyama, are standing alert with the rest of the King’s guard, The Ravens. There is roughly one hundred people, most of them from the court, and only a select few members of the Hatford family, in attendance at the cemetery. King Nathan’s cold blue eyes look for a moment to Neil, and in only what could have been a pretend show of affection for the benefit of the audience, he lays his hand on Neil’s shoulder. Neil resists the urge to flinch back from his father. His father gives him a knowing smile.

 

“Today is a day of mourning.”

 

King Nathan’s voice carried over the crowd, sure and sad and hallow.

 

“My Queen is dead.”

 

 _You killed her_ , thought Neil.

 

                And suddenly, Neil was not at the cemetery; he was back in the reading room, he felt the fire singe the hairs on his arms, smelt the blood and smoke, felt bile rise in his throat and he was having trouble catching his breath – and then he felt Jean’s fingers grasp the back of his shirt and tighten into a fist. And just as quickly as the moment had come, it passed, and Neil was going to turn to Jean to see what was wrong, until he heard what his father was speaking of now.

 

“…But now is not only a time for endings, because through my son, Prince Nathaniel, we have found a new beginning.”

 

 _That’s not my full title._ Neil knew that Jean had heard the distinction as well, as he felt him tense behind him.

 

“I am pleased to announce that we will be forming an alliance with the southern kingdom, Palmetto, through an engagement between my son, Prince Nathaniel, and Palmetto’s First Prince.”

 

               


	2. Little Goose

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look into Nathaniel's childhood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! ok so this chapter is something like a flashback- it gets into some of Nathaniel's childhood at the castle. There are 2 time skips - at the beginning, he is about 6-7 years old, and in the second half, he is...maybe 11? yeah that sounds about right. 
> 
> Enjoy!

                When Nathaniel was young, he would not speak. No matter the treats the nurses would slip him, no matter the knives his father would threaten him with, and no matter how many times his mother pulled his hair, they could not coax a word from his lips.

 

            That is, until Betsy Dobson showed up. She came to the castle’s doorstep one evening and for some reason, no one could turn her away. She found Nathaniel in his room, absently looking out his window. When he turned to find the source of the sudden noise, he saw Betsy, her hands on her hips and a small smile on her lips.

 

            “I felt it in my bones when you showed up.” She said it like it was something to be proud of. When all Nathaniel did was frown at her, she laughed and scooped him up in one swing and planted him on her knee.

 

            “Let me tell you a story, Little Goose.” So Betsy told him a story about beginnings; a story about how once people and animals and nature all spoke one language, how they lived in harmony and love. She told him about the magic of understanding the trees call good morning and of the birds asking you _how are you?_

 

            “You have a word stuck on the tip of your tongue, Little Goose. But it’s ok if you cannot speak it yet. Be patient and it will come.”

 

            By the time the queen arrived, Nathaniel was quietly speaking to Betsy, a smile on his face and his shoulders light.

 

            It was Betsy who shortened his name to Neil.

  

* * *

 

 

           From then on, Neil and Betsy were inseparable. She would take Neil to the pond and teach him about birds and tell him tales of magic and of lost languages, and Neil would listen with a seriousness found only in the young and naïve. Sometimes Neil would show up late to their morning meetings, clutching his side or limping slightly, and Betsy would tut and fuss, but she knew that Neil didn’t like that. On those particular mornings, she would settle for holding him in her lap instead of going for walks.

 

            One of said mornings, there was a bevy of swans in the pond when they arrived. Betsy, as Neil was now again confirming, seemed ready for everything: she pulled out a small sac full of bread crumbs and gave a handful to Neil.

 

“Let them come to you, gosling.”

            Neil held out his hand and waited as a large cob slowly made his way over to peck away at the breadcrumbs in Neil’s hand. When he was finished, he bucked his head and quickly flapped his wings.

 

“He is asking if you have any more bread.”

 

            Neil looked from the cob to Betsy with a small frown on his face. Then, he turns back to the cob and tells him, “No more! I don’t have any more bread for you.”

 

“Gosling, he does not understand your tongue. Repeat after me, hmm?” Betsy then proceeded to make a honking noise, short and quick, with the pitch going higher right at the very end. “Tell him, just like that.”

 

            Neil repeated it as he heard it to the cob. The cob watched him, and then turned to leave and return to the pen waiting for him. Neil turned to Betsy with a gleam in his eye.

 

“He understood me?”

 

            There was the same small smile on Betsy’s face as the one he first saw her with. “Yes, it seems that he did.” She looked pensive for a moment, and looked at Neil with curiosity. “Did that make you happy, gosling? Being able to speak to the birds?”

 

“Yes.”

 

            Betsey seemed to approve, because the she took his hands in hers and said, “How about I teach you?”

 

* * *

 

 

            Over the years, Neil managed to pick up the swan’s language and more. Betsey soon began teaching him how to speak to other birds; most shared the same mannerisms, but they made different sounds. Once confidant in that, he began asking about other animals.

 

“What about the squirrels?”

 

“Squirrels are always very busy; they don’t appreciate idle conversation very much. All they like to talk about is how their food collection is going.”

 

“What about rabbits?”

 

“Mm rabbits are hard. They are very skittish, you see, so they tend to be too scared to talk. But once they calm down they are always a friendly bunch.”

 

“And what about the trees? You said that they can speak, too.”

 

            At that, Betsy paused. She looked down at Neil with a slightly sad look on her face. “The language of nature has long been lost to man. If not lost, then very, very rare. I have never heard nature speak.”

 

            Neil was quiet for a few minutes. He stared at the forest lining the other side of the pond.

 

“Maybe I can speak to nature. You said that I had a word stuck on my tongue, right? Maybe that’s why. Because I can speak to the trees! Or maybe the wind!?”

 

“Perhaps even water or fire.” Her tone was light, but if she sounded a little doubtful, Neil did not notice. After another moment of silence, Betsy squeezed his hand and smiled. “Well, gosling, how about I tell you about horses and foxes? Now, those animals are surely some of the most magical I have ever encountered.”

 

* * *

 

           One day while he was practicing in the castle gardens, Riko and Kevin ran by with their wooden swords swinging. Neil, not a fan of wooden swords, or any other kind of blade in general, flinched away from the boys.

 

            Riko noticed this and stopped. “What’s wrong, Nathaniel? You don’t like swords?” He swung his sword close to Neil’s face. “It’s strange, you know, even though your father is a swordsman, and he has the best private guard in all of the lands, his son doesn’t even pick up a sword. Don’t you think that’s strange, Kevin?”

           

Kevin had been silent the entire time, but now he looked sheepishly at Neil when he said, “Yeah, Riko. It’s strange.”

 

            Kevin’s response made Neil angrier than Riko’s taunting. “Be a little more convincing, Kevin.”

 

            Kevin’s eyes flashed but he remained quiet. _Coward,_ thought Neil.

 

            Riko smiled and nudged Kevin with his elbow. “Oh, but come on, really. What do you _actually_ do? All we ever see you do is laze around with your nurse or run around quacking and shit.”

 

            Neil flushed. “I’m not _quacking_.”

 

            Riko appeared to be pleased that Neil finally rose to the bait. “So? You’re not going to tell me that you’re actually _talking to birds,_ are you?”

 

            Betsy had sworn Neil to secrecy about their little lessons, but Riko’s taunting was pushing him past his breaking point. He made a quick decision that he hoped he wouldn’t regret later.

 

“I am.”

 

            Riko and Kevin both seemed to stop, and gave him quizzical looks. Riko’s face was blank for a few seconds until it contorted in anger and he sneered.

 

“You’re lying.”

 

“Why would I lie about that, Riko?”

 

Kevin was fidgeting again, but this time Neil decided to ignore him.

 

“You’re lying because no one can speak to birds. Speaking to animals is impossible.”

 

“You’re just jealous that you can’t, Riko. You can’t speak to birds, and you’re not the best swordsman. Even _I_ can tell that Kevin is better than you.”

 

            Now Kevin looked terrified. Neil only felt a little sorry.

           

            Now Riko trembled in his anger, and Neil knew there was no backing down now. Even though he was the Crown Prince, he knew that Riko had some kind of status that made even his father turn a blind eye occasionally. Not that him being Crown Prince ever made anything different with his father.

 

            But Riko’s eyes found something behind Neil – it was only for a moment, so if Neil hadn’t been watching him, he wouldn’t have noticed. Neil turned, and found one of the maids watching them with apprehension. She approached the boys with a slight frown.

 

“What are you boys up too? I heard some talk of swordplay and talking to animals.”

 

            Riko put on his brightest smile. “Oh, we’re just fooling around. Nathaniel was just saying that he can speak to birds, but he was just joking around, wasn’t he?”

 

            He wraps his arm around Neil’s shoulders and gives him a shake. Neil feels ill at the casual touch, but plays along. Kevin looks downright nauseous. The maid does not look convinced – if it were up to Neil, he would say she looked scared.

 

“Oh, is that so? Well, I was just sent to fetch Crown Prince Nathaniel because he has some business to attend to. I hope I was not interrupting something too serious.”

 

            Riko gave another tight smile. “Oh, no, sweetheart,” the maid flinched, “you’re fine.” He looks at Neil. “Well, Your Highness, I guess this means you should be off.”

 

            Neil gave Riko one last glare before nodding at Kevin and turned to follow the maid back into the castle. The halls were rather quiet for an afternoon in the middle of the week, but Neil couldn’t complain. There were less people to point and whisper as he walked by. So now he focused on the maid.

 

“What’s your name?”

 

“…Margaret, Your Highness.”

 

“Who sent you to fetch me, Margaret?”

 

“It was your tutor, Your Highness. You are late for your lessons.”

 

            Was he? He didn’t remember he had a lesson today. “Which lesson is it, Margaret?”

 

“Manners and etiquette, I believe, Your Highness.”

 

            Ah. Of course. No wonder he forgot.

 

“Well it was a pleasure, Margaret, but I believe that this is my stop.” They had already made it to his room, so clearly Margaret wasn’t paying attention. She stopped abruptly and apologized, but then she was quickly on her way. Neil watched her walk away and then shrugged to himself. He walked into his rooms knowing that it could possibly be the most boring afternoon of his life awaiting him.

 

* * *

 

 

            After dinner had been brought up to his rooms, Nathaniel heard a knock on his door.

 

“Come in.” He put down his utensils and straightened out his shirt. He was slightly surprised to see that it was Margaret at his door again.

 

“Hello Margaret. What is it?”

 

“Ah, well, Your Highness, your father the King wishes to see you.”

 

            Neil tensed and tried to keep his breathing steady. He had only just recently healed from his father’s last summons.

 

“Did he tell you why he wishes to see me, Margaret?”

 

            She kept her face blank when she told him no, he did not tell her. Neil rose from his chair and tried his best to fix up his appearance without a mirror. Margaret waited patiently for him at the door. Once on their way, her mask began to crumble the closer they got to his father’s chambers. He had a growing suspicion of what this was about, and he did not like what it meant for him.              

 

            Once at his doors, Margaret gave him an almost apologetic grimace before knocking. He had no sympathy for her as he entered his father’s rooms.

 

 

* * *

 

 

            By the time his father was done with him, Neil had had no doubt of what it had been about.

 

 _Margaret had told him that he speaks to birds._ Lovely. Just what he needed. It didn’t even matter that Margaret hadn’t seen him speak to birds; just the fact that it’s a possibility was bad enough. People in Wesninskia were not fond of _strange._ And to his father, _strange_ meant _weak._

            By the time he made it back to his room, his muscles were trembling with effort from trying to walk with his new collection of bruises and cuts. There was only static in his mind as he laid down on his bed, his limbs screaming for rest. He was vaguely aware that the sun had begun to rise in the east.

 

            But by the time he woke up again, a full day and night later, panic seeped into his bones as he remembered the one thing that had truly mattered.

 

            _What will happen to Betsy?_

 

 

           

 

           

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So! I hoped you guys liked it! I have one more flashback chapter in the works, and then we should hopefully be right back where it all started with Mary's funeral. 
> 
> If anyone has read Shannon Hale's The Goose Girl and have noticed that there are a lot of similarities (extreme similarities *coughcough*), right now I just want to get the basic premise of The Goose Girl taken care of before I throw in the mess that is The Palmetto State Foxes. Thank you guys for understanding!
> 
> Oh and I should warn you guys, it's gonna be a slow burn.
> 
> Thank you for reading! Kudos and comments are appreciated!


	3. A Duel

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Riko and Kevin have a duel.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so first off....sorry for being late! I really had some trouble writing this chapter. In the end, there is going to be one more flash back chapter. There was some awkward transitions, so I just decided to make it two chapters.
> 
> and also: I might not have made something clear in the last chapter. There are 3 languages betsy mentions. Animal Speaking, which should be obvious what it is, Nature speak, which is when someone can call to an element. not like bending where one has complete control, more like being able to hear the element, and give it a direction to follow. (there will be more later). And people speaking! This is the one I didn't really touch on. It is basically just an ability that a few people have but most people don't notice: they are just really good speakers. not as extreme as sirens, or anything, but you feel compelled to listen, they'll win arguments all of the time, and their lies are always just a little more convincing. with the right person, it can be a very dangerous gift.
> 
> Anyways! long intro! I hope you enjoy this chapter, and I'll have part 2 up as soon as I am able to :)

            When Neil was twelve years old, he received a gift from Captain Tetsuji. Neil was amused, to say in the least, because what was in front of him was not a gift he was expecting (not that Neil received gifts very often). This was a boy, only a couple years older than Neil, who went by the name of Jean Moreau. _People do not usually gift people other people._ But Captain Tetsuji explained that this was not a permanent thing; this was an investment. Jean’s parents had sold him to the Moriyama family, and while as a boy he would be a servant to Neil, when he was old enough he would join the guard. This meant that he would still need to attend practice as well as perform his required duties for Neil. Neil gave him a once over: Jean was at least a head taller than Neil, with a lean body and dark hair and stormy grey eyes. He stood alert the entire time that he was being presented to Neil, and the only thing that passed his lips was his greeting when he and Captain Tetsuji had first entered his rooms. Other than that, he had given nothing away.

 

 _This is going to be complicated._ For nearly a year already, Neil had reverted to rarely, if ever, speaking. He gets in trouble more with his mother and father, yes, but now rather than not being able to speak , he simply doesn’t _want_ to. Hopefully Jean talks more once he warms up to people.

 

And so this finds Neil and Jean alone: Captain Tetsuji had left them, giving Neil instructions to show Jean around the castle and to have the maids prepare him a room next door. Neil nodded along to everything and had sent Tetsuji on his way.

 

Neil stood up and crossed his arms over his chest. He eyed Jean, who seemed to have relaxed slightly after the departure of the Captain, and who now eyed Neil back. Please by this small show of defiance, Neil hummed and nodded, motioning for Jean to follow him. He walked out of his room, and Jean only paused for a moment before trailing after him.

 

* * *

 

 

They grew very close over the years. In the end, neither of them spoke very much, but that was fine. They had created a form of communication through body language, glares, and hand signs. They understood each other’s needs and were comfortable enough with each other to see them taken care of. When Neil did not need Jean, Jean would go down to the courtyard and practice his swordsmanship with Riko and Kevin. Because of this, by the time Neil was 16 and Jean 19, Neil has spent a lot more time with Riko than he would have liked to and has grudgingly formed a friendship with Kevin. However, he still refuses to pick up a sword. Jean never mentions it. (Jean has already patched Neil up on multiple occasions. And sometimes after Jean’s practice with Riko and Kevin, Neil returns the favour.)

 

            One morning when Neil and Jean did not have any princely business to attend, they made their way down to the courtyard to find Riko and Kevin. When they arrived, however, they were greeted with a crowd of about thirty men, all obviously from the guard, yelling and shoving one another. Riko, Kevin, and Captain Tetsuji were in the middle of the throng, seemingly unaffected by the chaos. Neil could see the new tattoo of the number _1_ on Riko’s left cheekbone from where he stood. Neil knew that on Kevin’s cheekbone, he would see the number 2. When they noticed Neil, most of them calmed down, and let him pass, but he and Jean could still feel the tension in the air. Captain Tetsuji smiled at him and bowed his head. Neil withheld a shudder at the sudden recollection of Captain Tetsuji being in the same room during one if his father’s summons.

 

“We were just about to have a duel, Your Highness.”

 

            Jean tensed and Neil’s eyes looked from Riko to Kevin ( _Yup .Number 2_ ). “A duel? What for?”

 

“Yes, Your Highness. It seems that Riko and Kevin here wish to have a test of skill and strength.”

 

            Neil heard the truth behind those words : _This is to determine ranks. I will choose my inheritor._

            Neil knew who was going to win. Jean knew who was going to win. Most likely, the majority of the soldiers here knew who would win. Everyone, with the exception of Riko. This was going to cause a good many problems, none of them being something Neil would like to be a part of. “Well, have fun.”

 

            Neil turned to leave and Jean was quick to follow until Riko’s called out: “Jean? Won’t you stay to watch?”

 

            To anyone one else, it would have sounded like a simple invitation. But Jean, as well as Neil, knew an order when it was given. And while Neil, as the Crown Prince, had no obligations to stay, he knew that Jean would have trouble refusing. Neil had his demons, and so did Jean. With a light brush of fingers on Jean’s shoulders, Neil looked at Riko.

 

“Well, if you want Jean to stay then I guess I’ll have to tag along as well. Only of that’s alright with you, Riko.” Neil smiled. To the Crown Prince, there is only one correct answer, and Neil knew that it would make Riko’s skin crawl.

 

“…Of course. Your Highness.”

 

“Good.”

 

* * *

 

 

The look on Riko’s face as Kevin was declared the winner did nothing to soothe the unease that had been growing in Neil’s mind since the whole ordeal began. Jean had a blank look on his face, and his knuckles were white from tightening his fists. Kevin seemed to have finally realized what he had done by winning when Riko squeezed his shoulder just a little too hard.

 

“Good match, Number Two.” The blood drained from Kevin’s face. He swayed a little but seemed to catch himself before anyone else noticed. “Now let’s go and clean up before we celebrate!” Kevin swallowed and was pulled along by Riko’s grip on his shoulder.

 

            Jean stood before Neil did to watch them leave. Neil knew that Riko was abusive, based on what he had seen on Jean, but he could never guess what kind of hold he had on Kevin. When they were younger, they had both seemed like brothers, regardless of the lack of blood relation. Now, it seems that Riko’s become much more possessive than Neil had realized – as well as power hungry. It made Neil nervous to know that Jean was technically still property of the Moriyama’s, just being lent to Neil. He had no clue how people could not see Riko’s true nature.

 

            _People Speaker,_ Betsy’s voice whispered in his head. _Beware of that one._ But thinking about Betsy hurt, so he quickly swept the thought from his mind.

 

            _I shouldn’t just jump to conclusions about this. I’m not even sure he_ is _a People Speaker. It just makes the most sense._ While it did explain why Riko could convince anyone of anything, it did nothing but add to the growing feeling of fear in Neil. If Neil wasn’t careful, Riko could easily take advantage of him, as well.

 

            Neil got up and went to stand beside Jean. He didn’t say anything, but he leaned closer so that his shoulder was just touching Jean’s arm. For them, that was enough.

 

* * *

 

 

            The next day passed by without incident. Jean was distracted and nervous all day; he wasn’t summoned to practice, which, according to Jean, did not bode well for Kevin.

 

            The following day, however, Kevin did reappear. He was outside of Neil’s room when he was finished his manners and etiquette lessons.

 

“Kevin! You really didn’t have to wait outside, you could have just walked right in, I wouldn’t have minded in the least –“

 

“Neil.” Neil stopped and stared at Kevin; it was rare that Kevin called him Neil, especially since he knew about Betsy, and that most of the time Kevin was a stickler for title and status, no matter the relationship. The change had caught Neil off guard, but it changed the tone of the conversation immediately.

 

“…What is it? Is it Riko?” Kevin flinched. “Kevin.”

 

“It’s just been….weird. He’s been ignoring me since the duel, and he’s been a lot more aggressive with the others. I didn’t think – I honestly didn’t know –“ _That my winning the duel was going to be such a problem._

            Neil heaved a sighed. “Kevin. If you had absolutely no inkling whatsoever that this was going to be a problem, then you are an idiot as well as a coward. Riko is a power hungry asshole that doesn’t care whether or not you think that you’re brothers; just that he is number one in his uncle’s hierarchy.”

 

            Kevin’s eyes flashed with anger. “How can you say that about him- he –“

 

“He cuts Jean open on a weekly basis. He manipulates people into doing what he wants. He cares so much about rank that he got a fucking number one tattooed on his face. He is insane.” With each argument, Kevin’s resolve seemed to dwindle, and the look on his face changed from anger to confusion to a sad, pleading kind of desperation. Neil quietly hoped to never have to see that look on Kevin’s face ever again.

 

“…What do I do now? I don’t know how to fix this.”

 

            And now Neil’s anger had dissipated completely, leaving only sadness and that same frustrating feeling of unease. “I don’t know, Kevin.”

 

            Kevin reached up to give Neil’s bangs a tug before sighing and turning around. He left Neil at the door to his room. Watching him go, Neil knew that there was no way he was going to be able to focus for the rest of the day.

 

            His conversation with Kevin, knowing that Riko is abusing all (both) of his closest friends as well as the nightmare he had last night was too overwhelming for Neil; he was lying in bed staring at the ceiling, feeling completely numb. When Jean entered Neil’s room later that afternoon, Neil looked at him and shook his head; he had used up his words for the day. Jean nodded and walked over to him and lifted him from the bed. He helped him change and got him into to back under the covers without saying a word. He then went over to the window and shut the drapes. The room was immediately consumed by darkness, and Neil finally relaxed.

 

* * *

 

 

            The next morning, Neil was awoken by a strange weight on his bed. At first, Neil panicked his mind still foggy from sleep and his nightmare still present in his mind. A hand reached out to him, and Neil flinched back. The hand immediately stopped.

 

“Neil.”

 

            Neil relaxed. “Jean.”

 

            When Jean didn’t reply or make any other kind of move, Neil lifted his hand from under the blanket and brushed his fingers over Jean’s. _What is it?_

 

            Jean looked down at their fingers and then up to Neil’s eyes. Neil suddenly realized he had no idea what time it was, but it still couldn’t have been dawn yet as there was no light seeping through the shut drapes. _What could Jean need to tell me at this time of night?_ His entire body seemed to tense with anticipation and when he didn’t get a response, Neil snapped: “Jean!”

 

            Jean flinched and hunched his shoulders, but he didn’t look away. He tried to speak twice before he managed to keep his voice from breaking.

 

“Kevin is gone.”

 

* * *

 

 

            The next few days were a blur. Riko went from being suspiciously apathetic, to fuming with rage at the smallest suggestion. Neil’s father, King Nathan, seemed to have received some message from the Eastern kingdom that angered him, which he took out on Neil. Jean was trying to keep his head above the water; with Riko throwing violent tantrums and Neil coming back to his rooms bleeding every night, it was becoming incredibly difficult.

 

            It was two weeks before things seemed settle down. Although there were teams of The Ravens out looking for Kevin, he was never found. Riko was still furious, but he seemed to have reeled in his violent tendencies for the time being. King Nathan and Queen Mary were seen around the castle much more than normal, which Neil guessed had to do with the increasing amount of messengers coming from the eastern kingdom. Jean thought that they were there for Kevin; he had been an investment, too, in a way. But Neil knew what kind of partners his father and the eastern kingdom were. He hoped they were here for Riko.

 

            Unfortunately, they weren’t.

 

            As soon as their business with the king was finished, they were on their way.

 

           

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *all business between the wesninskis ans moriyamas are pretty much the same as in canon. The only difference is that Nathaniel is aware of his father's position. 
> 
> thanks for reading!


	4. Leaving

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here you go! Part 2! 
> 
> Enjoy!

                It’s been just over a year since Kevin’s disappearance. The messengers from the eastern kingdom did not stop coming, but now they were occasionally joined by one that wore the orange and white of Palmetto. It was the first time that Neil had seen someone from Palmetto in years, as it was a five week journey to Wesninskia. This probably signified that whatever business was being taken care of was of utmost importance.  

              Not being privy to said important business, Neil found himself spending more and more time isolated in his rooms. His lessons became less frequent and on most days he was ordered to stay in his rooms. It wasn’t the same for Jean, as now that Kevin was gone, Riko had to train with someone else instead. Neil waits every night for Jean to come back exhausted and bruised. 

 

                On a rare morning where Jean was not summoned for practice, both boys were sitting at the window watching the gardens and observing people go about their business. Small birds would fly up onto his balcony and Neil would sing to them. The birds would answer back in a flurry of song and flapping of wings. Jean watched from where he was sitting at the opposite end of the window, eyes wide in awe. Neil gave him a small smile.

 

“Have I ever told you what happens when you know the names of horses and foxes?” Neil shifted closer to Jean. Jean shook his head and began to make himself more comfortable. The bird on the balcony was now perched on Neil’s finger, seemingly content.

 

                It had been a long time already since Neil had first told Jean about him being able to speak to birds. He told him about Betsy, and all of the stories she used to tell him. He also told Jean about how she died.

 

_They told me she had to go home for a family emergency. She never came back._

 

                Simply the fact that Betsy hadn’t told him this herself was implication enough of what happened.

 

“Horses are born with a name on their tongue. If you are there when they are foaled, and you hear their name, you can whisper it back to them. If they hear you then, they’ll hear you for the rest of their life. You’ll have this bond with your horse where you can speak to each other in your mind and become the closest and truest friends. There are no lies, no violence and no sound. Just companionship.”

 

                Jean was quiet for a few minutes. “…You never wanted one?”

 

“It wouldn’t be fair to the horse.” _I’m locked up in my tower and my father would kill it anyways._

 

“…What about foxes?”

 

                Neil smiled. “Foxes are not so different, but they are much more elusive. You see, the fox has to give you its name. Otherwise, there is no way to ever communicate with foxes. No matter if you learn how to interpret their yips and their barks, they will not understand you.”

“They don’t hover, either. Once you know the fox’s name, it will always be listening and watching, but never touching. But call its name and it will come to you. No matter where you are, it will always come.”

 

“What does it do when you call for it?”

 

“I’m not sure. Perhaps whatever you want it to do.”

 

“So how does one get a fox to tell you its name?”

 

“I think that it depends on the fox. If it were the same for everyone, people would have purposefully looked for foxes just for that. Foxes are clever creatures, so it’s probably for the best.”

 

                They were swept into silence once more, and Jean appears to be swallowed up in thought. Neil was content to keep watching the birds, every now and again repeating sounds back and forth with the songbird still on his finger.

 

“Why did you tell me this now?”

 

                Neil contemplated his answer. “It would be- it would just be nice that if all it took to bring him home was to call his name. That’s all.”

 

                Jean made a low humming noise and the songbird took flight, leaving them both, once again, in solitude.

 

* * *

 

 

                The queen summoned Neil to her castle one afternoon later that week. Needless to say, Neil was nervous; he had not been summoned to his mother’s presence in a long time. Her and his father had stopped living together in the main castle for years, thus decreasing Neil’s visits with her exponentially. When he arrived, he was led to the sitting room where his mother was waiting for him.

 

                Queen Mary was sitting in a simple navy gown with her back straight and her hair pulled back into a very tight bun. Her eyes were sharp and her mouth always looked like it was on the verge of a sneer. Her tea was left, cold, on the side table.

 

“Nathaniel. Sit.” He did. She narrowed her eyes at him. “What have you been up to for the past few months? I have not seen nor heard from you. Have you been keeping up with your lessons?”

 

                _She doesn’t know?_ “…I have been kept in my rooms for a while now. Fa- King Nathan does not have my tutors sent for, so I have not had any lessons to attend. I am kept alone with the exception of Jean.”

 

                Her eyes flashed. “Stupid boy! Have you no sense? You cannot be locked in your rooms. You need to be _aware_ , at all times. Do you know who has been visiting the kingdom?”

 

                When Neil did not give her an answer, she stood and briskly walked over to him. She grabbed his hair and pulled his head back so that he was looking into her eyes. “Answer me, Nathaniel.”

 

“…There have been messengers from Palmetto.” She let go of his head and instead went to grab his jaw.

 

“Yes, there are messengers from Palmetto. Why would there suddenly be so many? Why, when we have had little to no business with the South in years? Why would you think, Nathaniel?”

 

                Again, when he had no answer, she slapped him across the mouth. “Stupid! Pathetic!”

 

“If there is sudden business between two kingdoms otherwise unrelated, it is either war, or an alliance. I am going to guess that it is the beginning of forming an alliance, but through what means, I don’t know. What I do know, however, is that you are a weak link, Nathaniel. You cannot win a fight, you speak to animals – yes, I know that absurdity still happens, you mongrel, and you know about your father’s business relations to the eastern kingdom. If there is an alliance, he will not risk keeping you here. He. Will. Kill. You.”

 

                She pulls away, but lifts a hand to cup his cheek. Her thumb rubs his cheek, and the contact makes his skin crawl. “But I can’t let that happen. You are my precious son, after all.”

 

                Her eyes harden and her mouth is set in a grim line. “So we’re leaving. Just the two of us. Tomorrow night.”

 

* * *

 

 

“Jean, you have to come with me. I can’t leave you here.”

 

“Neil, your mother, _the Queen_ , said that it’s just going to be the two of you. If not Riko or your father, surely your mother would kill me too.”

 

“ _Jean.”_

``Neil. I know that you want me to come to protect me. But I just- I do not believe that it would be a good idea.”

 

“Jean, if you don’t come, Riko _will_ kill you. He’ll be too angry.”

 

                Jean said nothing to argue with that, which only made Neil more adamant. But Jean would not budge. They were both exhausted and angry, but Neil couldn’t let that anger consume him on what could be the last time he saw Jean.

 

“Stay? Just for a little while.”

 

                Jean did not answer for a few minutes, long enough that Neil was worried that he would actually leave, but then he nodded and climbed over to Neil’s bed and sat with his back against the headboard. “I’ll stay until you fall asleep.”

 

“Ok.”

 

They both sat together on the bed, neither one of them believing that they were actually going to get some semblance of sleep that night.

 

* * *

              

                When the time came for Nathaniel to go to his mother’s castle once more the following day, it was already too late. Smoke billowed out of the windows, and panic gripped Neil’s heart.

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

_I’m next, I’m next, I’m next._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I killed Betsy.
> 
> Next up: the mourning period and preparing for the journey
> 
> Thank you for reading!


	5. Loose Ends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welcome back! hope you enjoy this chapter!

                Neil lasts until evening before he runs.

 

                Although the funeral had ended hours ago, in Neil’s mind, he was still there. He was reliving the moment his father announced his marriage over and over. It was terrifying and suffocating. Jean could do nothing to calm him down, so when Neil left his room that evening, Jean simply closed the door behind him and accepted the fact that he’ll just have to wait for Neil to come back.

 

                The sun was just fading beyond the horizon. Neil barely hears the staff call out to him as he runs by. The only thing he wants to feel, to be _aware_ of is his breathing, the way the winter air makes it feel like its ripping his lungs to shreds, and the way his knees buckle with the force of every step. He needs to feel the pain in his legs that comes from overexertion after months of barely using them at all. He can focus on anything, as long as it’s not those ten words; _through an engagement between my son, and Palmetto’s First Prince,_ ten words that had changed everything in Neil’s life in an instant.

 

                When he reached the pond, that was when he finally stopped.

 

                Neil had not been back to the pond since Betsy had been killed. Why he had come to this place now, he had no idea. Only that right now it wasn’t the hurt that usually overcame him when he thought of Betsy, but a sense of familiarity and of comfort. Alone at the pond, he could almost fool himself into believing that he was a young boy again, just waiting for Betsy to come and tell him that everything is going to be ok and that rocks can speak to the cats.

 

                He sits at the edge of the pond and watches the swans float along the water’s surface. Although it’s winter, the pond is not frozen over. But the water must still be very cold, since the swans did not seem to mind it much.

 

_Why am being sent away for marriage? To a Prince?_

_Why didn’t he just kill me?_

_What does he want?_

                A pair of swans made their way over to where Neil was sitting, oblivious to his crumbling psyche. They duck their heads in curiosity, and give a low honk. _What are you doing here, cygnet?_

 

                Neil replies, _I have lost my home and I am cold._

_You can stay here with us if you wish, cygnet._

Neil made a low, slow honking noise in return. _Thank you, but I have a long journey to make._

_Then just stay for a little while then. Come warn yourself in my feathers._ The swans climbed out of the water and came to him. The nestled close until their feathers bunched at Neil’s sides and laid their heads at his feet. Neil stuck his fingers in their thick coat and hummed in pleasure at the warmth.

 

                _When do you make your long journey, cygnet?_

_When the flowers begin to grow once again._

The pen gives a quick, sharp honk. _There is still time, cygnet._

_Not time enough._

* * *

 

 

The three month mourning period ends on the first day of spring.

 

            The second day after mourning, King Nathan summons Neil to his office. Jean goes with him, no matter that he cannot enter with Neil. He promises to wait outside for as long as it takes, Riko be damned.

 

“Better make sure he doesn’t hear you say that.”

 

“Since when have you cared about what you say around Riko?”

 

“Jean, I’m shocked! I have always cared about what I say around Riko. It comes from the truest, most sincere corner of my heart.”

 

“What heart?”

 

“Shush.”

 

            The door to his father’s office opens and Margaret looks outside to Neil and Jean. “Your father is ready for you, Prince Nathaniel.”

 

“Oh, why thank you Margaret. It’s been a while since I last saw you.”

 

            Margaret kept her eyes averted from Neil’s, but her mouth hardened into a thin line. She stepped out of the way for Neil to pass through. Neil did not bother giving his father a proper greeting; his father hadn’t even looked up when he arrived, so Neil just sat in the chair across from him. Already, it was too close, and Neil could feel perspiration begin to moisten his collar. He kept his hands clasped together to keep them from visibly shaking. Simply being in the same room as his father made his body tense and his breathing difficult.

 

            Neil waits for an hour before his father actually looks up from his papers. Neil is trembling from the effort of sitting completely still for such a long time and the silence was going to drive him mad. His father smiles at him, obviously recognizing Neil’s pain. He sits back and watches Neil, and remains silent for another twenty minutes. Neil can feel panic scraping at the inside of his mind, frantic to get his father’s eyes away from him, but he knows that the only way to get out of here without punishment is to wait his father out.

 

            King Nathan seemed satisfied after waiting another 15 minutes. He pulls a small blade out of one of his drawers and begins running his fingers delicately along the edge, an action one would see as simple fascination, but one Neil recognized as a threat.

 

“You are going to Palmetto to marry the Crown Prince. You will not say a word of the business that passes between myself and Emperor Moriyama, and you will not try to run away.”

 

Neil swallows.

 

“You will keep your servant. Riko will be the captain of your guard, and he will choose the rest of the men suitable for the journey. Most of your things are already prepared for you to leave. You only need to be measured so that the tailor can have your wedding gown made.” His father’s sneer was exaggerated and full of disgust. Neil feels himself shrink back into his chair, but King Nathan notices.

 

He slams the knife blade down into the wood table. “Do not back away from me, boy! You will listen to what I say and you will act upon my every command until you leave.” His eyes flash a steely blue. “Answer me!”

 

Neil, completely immobile in his father’s fury, gave a shaky reply. “Y-yes, Your Majesty.”

 

King Nathan pulled the knife out of the table and stood. He walked over to Neil and brought the blade up to his collarbone, dragged it up his throat and over his cheek. He stopped right next to his right eye. Neil couldn’t look at his father; he focuses behind him, on the window, at the birds outside, just out of his reach, he feels the tip of the blade dig into his skin and his father’s breath in his ear, the knife slices down his cheek, and he wishes that he were anywhere but here –

 

“You cannot run from me, _Little Goose._ So know your place.”

 

* * *

 

 

            Neil doesn’t remember getting back to his room, but when he opens his eyes, Jean is there and Neil can’t fell the right side of his face. Jean leans up from his chair next to Neil’s bed and reaches up to card his fingers through Neil’s hair, making sure to keep out of his face.

 

“Neil.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

“What happened?”

 

            Neil closes his eyes again and tries to turn his head, but Jean tightens his grip in Neil’s hair and brings his other hand up to hold his jaw. “Neil.”

 

“What day is it?” Jean’s jaw twitches at the diversion, but he answers anyways. “It’s still the same day. Just late. Or perhaps it’s early; I haven’t gotten up to check.”

 

            Which means that Neil lost an entire day. He heaves a sigh and looks back to Jean.

 

“You’re coming with me. We leave in one week.”

 

            Jean seems to have already known this, because he keeps looking at Neil expectantly. That, or he knows that there is something more important Neil isn’t telling him.

 

“….And Riko is going to be the Captain on our journey.”

 

“ _Merde_!”

 

            Jean lets go of Neil and brings his hands up to his own face, pressing his palms to his eyes. “Fuck! Why? _Why is he coming?_ ”

 

“Who knows why my father decided Riko is going. Maybe it wasn’t even his decision. Either way, I’m sure that my father doesn’t care.”

“…What do you mean?”

 

“I’ve had a lot of time to think about this, right?” Jean gives an affirmative hum. “My mother said that with an alliance forming between the kingdoms, I’ve become a weak link. A loose end. With more people visiting Wesninskia, more people will notice all of the visits from the Eastern kingdom. More people will notice me. People can kidnap me. People can torture me. They can get information from me. It might seem like a stretch, but my father can’t risk that. My mother knew that, so she wanted to run. Obviously, he found out and now there is no way for me to get out of here without him knowing. But what’s a way to take care of both the alliance and the loose end at the same time?”

 

            Neil pauses to watch realization darken Jean’s expression. Jean looks away from Neil, his whole body tense. “Don’t. Don’t say it.”

 

“A five week journey is a long time, Jean. We’ll be alone with Riko and a bunch of Ravens for _five weeks_ in forests and the mountains. They’ll claim it was an attack, or an accident- and my father will put on a great show at our funerals,- but in the end, he still gets his alliance and his loose ends taken care of.”

 

            Jean sways as if he is ill. He reaches for something – anything- to hold, to keep his hands from shaking, and finds Neil’s bedsheet. He pulls it taught and bunches it in his fist. His hold is tight enough that his knuckles are white. Neil wants to see Jean’s face, but Jean is hunched over so that all he can see is Jean’s hair. “Jean?”

 

            Jean’s voice was barely above a whisper; it was low, tight, and full of so much _fear._

_“He’s going to kill us.”_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey so because I get too excited and overeager, I post chapters after doing very little editing. SOOOO, I've just been going through past chapters and editing things like grammar, sentence structure and rephrasing, nothing to change the plot, so you guys don't have to reread anything. It's just this endless cycle of me writing and going THIS IS AWESOME IM SO EXCITED IMMA POST THIS RIGHT NOW to wow this is Crap what did I even do what was I thinking I Need to EDIT so yeah don't worry about it. Keyword there is "endless cycle", so yeah its gonna happen again. but don't mind me.
> 
> you guys are so great!
> 
> Next up, the journey begins!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow guys sorry this took so long. There were a few things that came up: I couldn't really get a good feel of Riko's character. In the end, this chapter isn't as long as I wanted it to be, but I think that I've got it mostly figured out for next chapter. Also something that came up: I am easily distracted and I read 6 books. or 7. can't remember. Anyways I got really into them and now I have some more time to write. so yeah! Thanks for sticking around! I love the goose girl and I love the foxhole court, so I am really enjoying myself.
> 
> Enjoy the chapter!

                The week went by in a blur. Jean was busy trying to organize everything that he and Neil would need, while Neil himself was busy with the tailors trying to get his wedding outfit finished. Neil could only attend to such business with numb detachment; he still knew nothing of his husband to be. No one had told Neil his name or age, and he had absolutely no idea what he would look like. Neil wonders what would be expected of him, in terms of their relationship. Neil had never been in a involved with another person before, be it romantically or physically, and any past desires to explore such things were quickly beaten out of him.

 

“We are finished, Your Highness.” The old woman that was taking in his jacket was standing and looking at Neil with an unreadable expression. The other tailors were looking anywhere but at him, clearly uncomfortable. Based on how the room has been tidied up, Neil realizes that they must have been calling him for a long time.

 

“Oh. Yes, I’m sorry.”

 

“Please do not apologize, Your Highness. There is nothing to be sorry for.”

 

                Neil gets down from the stand and flattens his shirt with his palms. He straightens up and politely excuses himself from the room. He makes his way down to his rooms, hoping that Jean will be there.

 

                He is pleased to find that Jean _is_ there, and he quickly shuts the door behind him and collapses into the plush armchair by the window. Jean had been going through a list of some kind, with Neil’s armoires wide open and nearly empty. Now, he looks up from his list to give Neil a small smile. The past few days had been very stressful for the both of them, but Neil knows that Jean was not faring very well against the notion that Neil’s father had basically given Riko permission to do whatever he pleased with the boys.

 

                As if he read Neil’s mind, Jean says “I haven’t seen Riko at all the past few days. It’s a little strange.”

 

Neil had noticed Riko’s absence around the palace, but given their situation, he hadn’t given it much thought.

 

“Do you think that he’s…I don’t know, up to something? It’s hard knowing that we’re going to be stuck with Riko for weeks upon weeks and while one would think that he should be busy planning and packing, barely anyone has seen him.”

 

“You _wanted_ to see him?”

 

                Jean gave him a look. “You know what I mean. I just would have thought that there would be more gloating, more hovering.”

                Neil nods and gives a quiet hum of agreement. While Neil couldn’t have really bothered with it before, right now it did seem a little ominous. There were only two days left before they departed, and Neil has a feeling that they won’t be seeing Riko or any of the Ravens going until the morning of. Neil closes his eyes and heaves a sigh. A few minutes pass in a comfortable silence; the only interruption being the occasional bird and Jean’s pen scratching on parchment. Without opening his eyes, Neil asks “What are you doing now?”

 

“I am going over the list of your personal belongings.”

 

“….That shouldn’t take very long.”

 

“Well, I do have to include all of the gifts you are to present to he royal family.”

 

                That makes Neil open his eyes. “I’m presenting the royal family with gifts? I wasn’t aware of that.”

 

“Well, you _are_ marrying one of them, and it’s a sign of goodwill.”

 

“Sure, if they want gifts from a dead man.” Jean glares at him. _I guess I deserved that one._

“Sorry.”

 

                Jean simply nods and gets back to his list. They spend another few moments in silence before Jean speaks up. “How did it go?”

 

                Neil knows that he’s talking about the fitting. He also knows that he doesn’t really want to talk about it.

 

“It’s done. And I still don’t know anything about my husband-to-be. I don’t want to talk about it.”

 

“Then we won’t talk about it.”

 

* * *

 

 

                The morning of the departure, there is a light mist covering the dewy grass. The sun is barely yet visible over the horizon, and the birds are at their busiest. Neil has been up for hours, not having been able to get back to sleep after he woke some time after midnight. Jean is up as well, but he is down in the stables preparing their horses.

 

                From his window, he can see the gathering entourage near the gates. He could tell that his father wasn’t there. He wasn’t even sure that his father _would_ be there, even as they depart. They’re leaving early enough that they don’t have to worry about putting up appearances, so his father will most likely just ignore the whole lot of them.

 

                One lean figure dressed in black moved out of the throng of people. His gait was arrogant and graceful, even as Neil saw him grab the collar of another Raven and give them an aggressive shake. _Riko._ Neil swallows down the sudden burst of fear and his legs tingle and twitch with nerves. _You weren’t nervous two days ago! Suck it up! You know what’s going to happen, but you don’t have to let that on to_ Riko. _Jean and I will just have to be quicker. We can figure something out before they decide to kill us._

                But Neil has no idea what they’re planning. Has no idea when they’re planning to take action. It could be in a few weeks, a few days, or even as soon as they enter the woods.

 

                Or maybe they’re just be paranoid; it could be that Riko and his father weren’t planning anything at all. Neil really will just go to Palmetto and marry the prince.

 

                A light knock on the door announced Jean’s return. “Are you ready to go?”

 

                A blue bird landed on the window sill, and Neil watched him hop about and flutter his wings before once more taking flight. It seems so easy.

 

                Turning back to Jean, he met Jean’s stormy eyes with his own, which he is sure reflected the same fearful anticipation.

 

“Ready as I’ll ever be, Jean.”

 

* * *

 

 

                The king, as Neil suspected, did not see them off.

 

                The entourage was made up of about twenty five Ravens and five servants, not including Jean. They were all riding, and they had four carts: one full of Neil’s belongings and gifts, the other three full of supplies for the journey. The Ravens were all dressed in their black uniform and did not look at Neil and Jean. While being somewhat of a relief that they didn’t bother with the tow of them, it made for a very tense ride out. Neil’s mare could feel his anxiety, and she flicked her tail nervously. Neil risks a glance at Jean, and he can tell that he was just as anxious.

 

                Neil turns to face the front of the group, eyes searching for Riko. He and Jean were somewhere in the middle of the guard, so he tries to lean in to be able to see down the middle of the line of Ravens.

 

                His blood runs cold when he finds Riko, for Riko had already been watching _him._

 

                Riko bows his head in an exaggerated show of submission, and smiles.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! again, this chapter is a lot shorter than what I had originally planned, but I think that it's a good set up for whats coming next.
> 
> (which is Lots of Bad Stuff.)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back! I'm sorry it took so long!
> 
> there is some violence and sexual harassment in this chapter - nothing extremely graphic, but it's still there. It's at the end of the chapter.

                Two weeks had already proven to be much longer than Neil has ever wanted to spend with a group of Ravens.

 

                While most of them would only interact with Neil if they were given the order by Riko, there were a few that did not seem to be perturbed by Neil’s coldness or Riko’s rage. The two causing the most trouble, Amelia and Stefen, would take turns sneaking up on Neil, be it on horseback or at the camp, and amused themselves immensely by watching Neil shudder and pull away every time they would brush a hand down his arm or run their fingers through his hair. By the end of the first two weeks, Neil was convinced that both his mind and body would never be relaxed ever again due to being in a constant state of stress and awareness.

 

                At the two week mark, Riko started to ride next to Neil and Jean. Jean made a point to stay quiet as much as possible, and Neil only gave vague replies of _maybe, sure, huh, how strange._ If Neil’s refusal to engage began to irritate Riko, he couldn’t tell. But Riko was starting to get closer and closer to figuring out what really made Neil tick – and he seems to be well aware of it. He can hide his shaking hands, but he knows that Riko notices his grip on the reins tighten at every mention of his father.

 

“So, how have you been faring during the journey, Prince Nathaniel?” Neil notices that Riko left a slight pause before _Prince_ , almost as if he was going to call him _Crown Prince_ , and he can feel his face begin to flush. _He’s doing it on purpose. Don’t give in to his taunting._

 

“I hope that it hasn’t been too stressful. I know that your father wouldn’t be too pleased to hear that you were at all uncomfortable. Although, that would imply that there would be something wrong with our hospitality, with _us_ , the _Ravens_ , and that is completely absurd. We would not tolerate someone half-assing such an… _important_ job.” He gave another pause, however with this one he seemed to actually be considering something. “Although, Prince Nathaniel, I don’t think your father was being very helpful when he did, well, _that,_ ” His fingers make a quick line down the right side of his face. “and honestly I don’t think that it would appeal very much to your husband-to-be. I mean, he could have at least saved that pretty face of yours.” Another pause, and an uncaring shrug. “Myself, on the other hand, I quite like that look of yours.” Riko’s horse moves closer and he leans over the side so that he can whisper in Neil’s ear. “You’ve got _fire_ , Nathaniel, and it will be _my pleasure_ to watch it slowly extinguish.”

 

 _Fuck it._ “Unfortunately Riko, I have no interest in listening to you list your kinks, and if you think you have any place speaking to your Prince like that, _then step down and learn your place._ You have nothing on me, ‘ _second son’.”_

                Jean let out a quiet, sharp breath, and Riko’s eyes flashed with fury and humiliation. Neil forces himself to turn away and watch the front, his back straight and chin up. He nudges his mare forward, and Jean follows, leaving Riko behind them. For the first time that trip, Neil feels as though he did something right. How long that feeling will last, however, he doesn’t even bother considering.

 

* * *

 

 

           

                That night when they set up camp, Neil claims fatigue and retires to his tent just after sunset. He refuses the bath offered to him by a smiling Stefen. Jean follows him quietly and closes the tent flap behind him, tying it shut with the loose ribbons of canvas dangling from the seams. They settle into Neil’s cot and listen as the Ravens become rowdier and rowdier as darkness settles in. As the flames grew brighter, so did the shadows of their captors ( _Because when they were both huddled together alone at night, that is what the Ravens were. While they weren’t the ones who dealt the cards against them, they_ were _the ones who knew when and how to play them),_ and neither of them said a word. They simply watched each other; they were each other’s sole comfort.

 

                Neither of them knew how much time had passed without sleep. The Ravens were beginning to quiet and they could hear the sounds of tents opening and closing, and from what they could tell, only the ones left on guard duty were left outside. Neil finally began to relax his grip on Jean and let his eyes close when he was startled back into awareness at the sound of a shrill cry –

 

_Wolves! Wolves are coming! Not safe, not safe!_

Neil bolts up in his cot, startling Jean and making him cry out. Neil left his tent just in time to see the screech owl fly from its perch in a nearby tree, all the while shouting, “Wolves! There are wolves coming!”  Neil takes a moment to notice that it’s Riko on guard duty, but he doesn’t dwell on it as he runs for the horses, to make sure that they’re all secure and to try and keep them calm.

 

                By now, most of the Ravens are out of their tents, grumbling and tired, but on high alert. Jean comes up beside Neil and helps him check the horses. “ _L’hibou?”_  Neil nods and Jean doesn’t say anything else. Riko is shouting for some order back in the middle of the camp, but Neil can hear the protests of the soldiers.  


“Where are the wolves?”

 

“Who said that there are wolves coming?”

 

“What the fuck?”

 

                Riko snapped at whoever gave the last reply, but Neil could tell that Riko’s patience was running thin. He looks over to Neil with a furious gleam in his eye. “Prince Nathaniel, I don’t know what came over you, but to disturb the camp with such delusi-“ A low growl from the darkness beyond the firelight startled Riko to a stop. Then a second, and then a third, joined it. Immediately, the Ravens assembled and two came over to roughly grab Neil and Jean to shove them into the middle of the throng.

 

                The fight doesn’t last very long; there had only been 7 wolves in the pack, which were no match for the 25 Ravens. As the sun had begun to rise while they were cleaning up, they decided that it would be better to immediately get back on the road. Neil was put to the side to be watched over while the Ravens and servants set about tearing down the camp. Neil notices that most of the Ravens were watching him with something akin to cautiousness, and took care to give him a wide berth. Jean gave his hand a tight squeeze. _They’re wondering how I knew the wolves were coming._

                Neil watched from across the camp as Riko looked at where the screech owl was perched last night, to suddenly look away and turn his stare on Neil. Fury was no longer visible in his stare, but the look he was giving Neil now made him much more uncomfortable. _Riko knows how I knew. Because I_ did _tell him all those years ago. But he just didn’t believe me until now._

_It’s a little too late to regret that now._

* * *

 

 

“ _Qu’est-ce qu’on va faire à propos Riko?”_

_”Je ne sais pas, Jean. Mais nous devons partir plutôt au lieu de plus tard._ ‘

 

                Jean gave him a look as if to say _obviously,_ and had a quick look out of the cart. It was raining, the fourth day in a row now, and four days since the incident with the wolves.

 

“ _Pour quelque raison, je n’ai pas l’impression qu’ils veulent nous tuer. ‘_

‘ _…Non, moi non plus. Au moins, pas maintenant.’_

_‘Donc, qu’est-ce qu’on peut faire?’_

                In a hushed conversation, they decided that the only safe time to do anything is when they were closer to civilization. They had been in the mountains and forest already for 3 weeks and had no idea for how much longer it went on. If they escaped now, they would just be faced with unending forestry, scared out of their minds, with the Ravens hunting after them their entire escape.

 

                No, they had to wait.

 

                Neil thought one more week would be long enough. They would leave as just as they finish setting up camp; that would give them enough of a head start if the Ravens didn’t want to leave everything behind in order to chase after them. And it would also give them an entire night to stay hidden in darkness. That would leave them with one week on their own to find some help, and by then they should be near enough to some kind of village where they can hide out. And if the Ravens decided to simply bring news of Neil’s death to the Prince, all the better: he and Jean could find their own way to live, anywhere they wanted.

 

                _But why haven’t they done anything yet?_ Not that Neil _wanted_ to be killed, particularly, but the quiet was quite nerve wracking. _Having us killed on the road makes the most sense. Especially because the Moriyama Empire views both Jean and I,_ and _Palmetto as problems. It would be the only way to solve both of them._

                The cart jolting to a stop brought Neil hurtling back to reality. Jean gave him an unimpressed look and said “You should stop thinking so hard. It makes me nervous.”

 

“And why would that be?”

 

“ _Parce-que c’est toujours seulement à propos la mort.”_

                The only reply Neil could give to that is a shrug. _It’s the truth._

 

                There was a knock at the door of the cart. Stefen’s voice carried through, “We’ve stopped to make camp, Your Highness.”

 

“Thank you, Stefen.” Neil looked over to Jean and gives a small, determined smile.

 

“ _Une semaine.”_

* * *

 

                Unfortunately, one week was too long; the attack happened only three days later.

 

                It was mid-afternoon, and Neil and Jean were at the stream washing the grime off of their hands and faces. Riko, for some reason, had wanted to make camp early and had stopped the entourage at a large clearing by the stream.

 

“ _J’ai déjà commencé –“_  Jean turned at the sound of a scream and immediately stood, reaching for the sword at his side. The sounding of clashing blades and laughter and yelling came from the direction of the camp, and when Neil looked through the cover of trees in the camp, he felt all of his blood run cold.

 

                The Ravens were killing the servants – all of them. There were cries of pain and fear and Neil saw a kitchen maid with a knife protruding from her throat – he had to force himself to turn away and try to run, but his legs couldn’t move. _It’s starting. We were too late._

 

                Riko’s voice carried above the sounds of the massacre. “Now, where is my dear Prince Nathaniel?”

 

                And all of a sudden Jean was on him, pulling him away, towards the stream. “You need to leave, Neil.”

“Jean-“

 

“Neil. You need to run.”

 

                Neil was frantic, trying to pull Jean with him, his breath coming in uneven and quick gasps, not wanting to be left alone, knowing what would happen if Jean stayed behind.

 

“Ah! There you are! Prince Nathaniel, wait for me, won’t you?”

 

                Jean’s hands tightened their grip on Neil’s arms for just a second, and his eyes shone with a furious determination Neil had never seen in him before. “Go.”

 

                And Neil ran.

 

                He didn’t – couldn’t- look back when he heard the Ravens overwhelm Jean. Not when he could still hear Riko’s footsteps behind him. Not when Riko’s breath sounded as if it were heavy in his own ear. He could hear Riko spouting nonsense, or maybe it wasn’t nonsense, just something that almost sounded like Neil’s name, and he felt his knees jolt with every bounding step. And just as quickly, Neil was on the ground. He tripped on an exposed tree root, and Riko was on him within seconds. He was panting and laughing and he gripped Neil by his hair and pulled back his head with a knife against his throat.

 

“Ha, wasn’t that fun, hmm? I always did like the chase, mm, makes it so much more fun…to _break_ them.” He says this right into Neil’s ear, breath hot and stinking, and Neil’s stomach churns. Riko rolls his hips down onto Neil and Neil’s entire body goes still – “Maybe we’ll have some fun before we kill you, hmm? I’ll miss that fire of yours, Nathaniel, so might as well…enjoy it while I can, hmm?”

 

“What…the fuck…is the _point?”_ Neil was struggling to breathe properly, and Riko was still grinding down on his behind.

 

“Ahh, well you’re a smart boy, Nathaniel, you’ve probably already figured out that you aren’t actually supposed to survive this trip, probably knew the entire time…. You _probably_ even had a cute little escape plan, too,” Riko laughed when Neil didn’t reply and clenched his eyes shut. He felt Riko lean down again and felt his lips on his ear. “But what makes you think that I don’t have any plans of my own, hmm?”

 

“Is this another way of…coping with that inferiority complex of yours…Riko?”

 

                Neil cried out as the knife Riko was holding slid across his chest, breaking the skin with a cut Neil knew would need stitches. _Only if I survive, I guess._

 

“That _fucking fire_ , Nathaniel.”

                Neil was about to reply ( _probably not wise, but I need to buy some time.)_ , but a flash of orange caught his eye to his left. He froze when he realized that across the stream, a fox sat, still as can be, and watched him calm eyes.

 

_My name is Renee._

Neil blinked at her.

 

_I have brought help, Prince, but you must call them to you._

Neil frowned, and he could hear Riko calling his name through a fog, but he watched the fox –Renee­- lift her head to the skies, and he understood. Neil tried to calm his tensed muscles and took as deep a breath as he could and cried –

 

_Danger! Danger! To me! Help! To me!_

_“_ Wha-?” But before Riko could understand what Neil was doing, birds of all sizes flocked to him, clawing and pecking and screeching and the top of their lungs. Neil used the distraction to push out from under Riko and get back on his feet, and he didn’t look back to see if Renee was still there.

 

He knew that she’d be watching, after all.

 

* * *

 

 

                Neil ran for three days. He did not know where he was running too, nor where he was, but he knew that Riko and the Ravens had lost him, for now. He slowed until he fell to his knees, and even then, he continued to crawl, until at last he couldn’t last any longer. He collapsed onto his side, breathing hard and completely numb.

 

                As the darkness closed in around him, he could no longer tell if it were in his nightmares or reality that he heard the owls scream:

 

_The moon rises; it is time to hunt._

 

 

 

 

‘

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *translation*
> 
> "what are we going to do about RIko?"
> 
> "I don't know, but we should earlier rather than later."
> 
> "For some reason, I don't get the impression that they want to kill us."
> 
> "No, me neither. At least, not yet."
> 
> "because it's only ever about death."
> 
> "One week."
> 
> WOW holy crap sorry that took so long, thank you for reading, I'm having a lot of fun, and you guys are great. SO great!
> 
> come find me on tumblr @Kaleidoscopesworld !


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my lord, it's been so long!! I want to finish this one, and in order to try and get back into it, here's a short little chapter. Gonna start small, and hopefully get into the habit of writing more!

                  Neil couldn’t tell how much time had passed when he woke up. He couldn’t see the sun beyond the canopy of branches above him. _Where am I?_ It took Neil a moment to recall the events of the past few days, and with each recollection, the tighter his chest constricted. A distraught keen left his lips and his head dropped to his knees.

 

- _Riko’s hands were running down his back, his chest, his throat; a breathy laugh in his ear sends shivers down his spine. Jean’s screams echo in the forest behind him. Renee watches calmly, owls are screeching, knives are cutting, bushes and trees and grasses are burning. His_ lungs _are burning. His senses were ignorant to the reality around him; his only objective was to run as far away as possible, to get away, to stay away, to hide –_

_I need to go._

Neil raised his head and looked around. He was hidden beneath a bush with tall branches, in a small clearing. He could hear a stream from somewhere to his right. He pushed himself off of the ground with stiff limbs, groaning in pain. Once he was out from under the bush and on his feet, he stretched his arms and back until he felt his joints pop with a satisfying crack. He could still feel the exhaustion gnawing at his limbs, but he willed his mind to stay clear. He gave his surroundings another once over. He had no idea where _exactly_ he was, but he was nowhere near a proper path, and with the stream to his right, he believed that he might have just followed the water all the way to where he was now.

 

                  _They won’t look for me out here. They have a deadline to meet and spending days out in the forest won’t help them. It would actually just look more suspicious._

 

                  Even though, there was a nervous tick in Neil’s hands and an itch in his throat. His breaths came quicker now and his mind began to cloud and his mother’s voice cut off all train of thought with a severe _we need to_ run.

 

                  Neil started to walk in the direction away from the stream. Moving helped him calm down, and he could focus his senses on his environment and figuring out where to go rather than let them focus inward, on his quickly unravelling psych.

 

                  After an hour or so of walking and finding nothing indicating his location, he comes upon a robin, perched on a low branch. It tilts its head in acknowledgement, and peered at him with a beady black eye.

 

_Hello, Robin. I am in need of directions._

The robin simply stared at Neil, clearly not understanding. _Hm, guess I’ll have to be a bit simpler._

_Where do the featherless on two legs live?_

At that, the robin perked up. _Go towards the setting sun,_ the robin then hopped a few branches to the west, as if to show him, _and you will find the featherless._

_Thank you._ And with that, Neil was on his way.

 

* * *

 

                  Neil was walking until evening when he came upon a small cottage. He barely pushed himself the few steps past the tree line and in sight of a young man feeding chickens in the yard. Neil stumbled and grabbed the gate to hold himself up, but his legs were trembling and he knew that he wouldn’t last much longer tonight. The young man had startled at the noise, and before Neil had thought to speak, he was in front of him, hands holding Neil’s forearms as if to steady him.

 

                  “Oh, my. What’s wrong? Where did you even come from, walking out of the forest like that?”

 

                  “Hello.”

 

                  “Yes, hello, but what’s wrong? You look as though you’re ready to collapse.”

 

                  Neil thought that he might have laughed, but his knees gave out and he fell into darkness once more.

 

* * *

 

                  When Neil awoke again, it was to the smell of spices and meat. He rubbed at his eyes to clear the blur from sleep, and sat up. He was in a cottage presumably the one that he came across last night–was it last night? He wasn’t sure for how long he had slept- and the man he had met was in the kitchen area, cooking. At the shifting of the straw mattress Neil was lying on, he turned from his task to smile at Neil.

 

                  “So, you’re awake! I was wondering when you would wake up. You’ve slept a night and a day and a night again.” He came over with a bowl of whatever it was that he was cooking and placed it in Neil’s lap. “I was getting a little worried. And you’re probably hungry. It’s chicken stew, nothing fancy.”

 

                  Neil blinked up at him, this man who had gone out of his way to help a complete stranger, and he suddenly felt embarrassed and looked down at his food. “Thank you.”

 

                  “You’re welcome. My name is Jeremy, by the way.”

 

                  “…Neil.”

 

                  Jeremy gave him a toothy smile and got up from the ground beside Neil’s palette. “Try and finish as much of that as possible, and I’ll be outside tending to the chickens. I’ll be back in a little while.”

                  Neil watched him leave, and went to work at eating his stew. It was definitely edible, but he could barely finish half. Too tired still to get up, he set the bowl on the floor next to him and settled back under the blankets.

 

                 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, like I said: short chapter! thanks so much to those who commented in my absence, it meant a lot to me! Next chapter will be coming soon!!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! This is a fic that is completely self-indulgent, The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale is my favourite book and I just couldn't resist. Hopefully you enjoyed it enough to come back for more! I'll try to update as much as possible, but please be patient with me!
> 
> Comments and kudos are much appreciated :)


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